Winchester Fall Town Meeting votes on zoning articles

Mariya Manzhos

Tuesday

Nov 7, 2017 at 12:05 AMNov 7, 2017 at 12:05 AM

Winchester's Fall Town Meeting kicked off Monday, November 6 at the Winchester High School Auditorium with reports from town's boards and committees, and a conversation about proposed zoning bylaws. The meeting tackled articles 3-13, voting unanimously in favor of all of the proposed changes with the exception of Article 3 and Article 7. Town Meeting will reconvene on Thursday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Here’s the recap of the articles and votes:

Article 2: This article asked the Town to vote to declare vacant seats of certain Town Meeting Members for failure to attend one half or more of the total number of sessions of the Winchester Town Meeting held during the previous 12 month period.

The article was postponed.

Article 3: This article aimed to allow granting of Special Town Permits “if it [The Special Permit Granting Authority] finds that the beneficial impacts of the proposed use or structure will outweigh its adverse effects” on the neighborhood. The article also defines “Neighborhood character.”

Vote: Approved (111 in favor; 21 against)

Article 4: This article requested to allow town agencies to make recommendations, without requiring unspecified type of report.

Vote: Approved unanimously in a voice vote

Article 5: This article asked the Town to clarify the criteria for reconstruction after voluntary demolitions of nonconforming structures.

Vote: Approved unanimously in a voice vote

Article 6: This article requested the Town to add a definition of the term “Historic Resources” as a building that represents artistic value, is associated with historic events or people, or may be a source of historical information.

Vote: Approved unanimously in a voice vote

Article 7: This article aimed to see if the Town will vote to update an existing definition of “duplex dwelling” as a building that contains “two dwelling units that are fully integrated into a coherent, unified massing.”

Vote: Approved (106 in favor; 22 against)

Article 8: This article asked Town Meeting to grant one waiver once every three years to the applicants for Site Plan Review for expansion of 500 square feet or less and waive the site plan review for expansions of 100 square feet or less.

The article was indefinitely postponed

Article 9: This article is aimed to see if Town Meeting will vote to require individuals applying for Site Plan Approval to file twenty copies and an electronic version of each application and site plan, and a filing fee with the Board of Appeals.

Vote: Approved unanimously in a voice vote

Article 10: This article requested the Town to include the Historical Commission and the Design Review Committee along with other the entities who review Site Plan Review applications. This article codifies an existing practice.

Vote: Approved unanimously in a voice vote

Article 11: This article required new buildings to be designed in line with the character of the neighborhood, materials and scale of the buildings in closer proximity; minimize effects on Historic Resources and the removal of large trees; and minimize visual obstruction “by controlling the visibility of parking, storage, utilities such as HVAC systems and transformers,” among other items.

Vote: Approved unanimously in a voice vote

Article 12: This article asked the Town to remove projects from Design Review that do not require a building permit.

Vote: Approved unanimously in a voice vote

Article 13: This article requests the Town to change zoning of 18 Lochwan Road from Light Industrial to Residential district.